+
Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Invention of the Week: Whitcomb Judson

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology provides a brief but factual account of the role Whitcomb Judson played in the development of the zipper.
+
Website
Great Idea Finder

The Great Idea Finder: Invention of the Zipper

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from The Great Idea Finder tells how Whitcomb Judson came up with the idea of the zipper. His employee, Gideon Sundback, made it a success.
+
Website
Ducksters

Ducksters: Thomas Edison: Inventor of the Light Bulb and Much More

For Students 1st - 9th
Kids learn about Thomas Edison's biography. Invented many things including the light bulb and phonograph.
+
Handout
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Harcourt: Biographies: Thomas Alva Edison

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of Thomas Edison, the "confused" young student who ended up being one of the greatest inventors in history. Offers a brief list of his many important inventions.
+
Lesson Plan
US National Archives

Nara: Teaching With Documents: Telephone and Light Patent Drawings

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A lesson plan about Alexander Graham Bell's patent for the telephone and Thomas Edison's patent for the electric lamp. Contains good background information and historically pertinent documents. It also discusses the role corporations...
+
Website
Other

Eli Whitney/cotton Gin

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of websites on Eli Whitney and his invention, the cotton gin.
+
Handout
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Gilder Lehrman Institute: History Now: Technology of the 1800s

For Students 9th - 10th
[Free Registration/Login Required] Article considers the inventions and innovations in communication, transportation, and manufacturing that drove America forward in the nineteenth century. Includes a link to an interactive history of...
+
Handout
National Inventors Hall of Fame

National Inventors Hall of Fame: Elisha Graves Otis

For Students 9th - 10th
Brief article about Otis, the developer of the electric elevator brake which made skyscraper construction so practical.
+
Website
Other

Rube Goldberg

For Students 9th - 10th
Get a look into the life of the wacky machine inventor Rube Goldberg. Includes a terrific biography, a gallery of his cartoon inventions, and a link to The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest.
+
Website
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: The Telephone

For Students 9th - 10th
The home page to the PBS feature film on the invention of the telephone. The People and Events section has biographies and commentary on the invention of the telephone and its subsequent success. Be sure to click on Gallery for pictures...
+
Handout
Other

Utah History to Go: Philo T. Farnsworth's Invention

For Students 9th - 10th
The state of Utah provides us with biographical information on Philo T. Farnsworth who developed an idea for an "image dissector" in high school thus becoming the first to conceive of the basic technology of television.
+
Handout
PBS

Pbs: American Experience: People and Events: Alexander Graham Bell

For Students 9th - 10th
This PBS American Experience page provides a biographical survey of Alexander Graham Bell's life and inventions.
+
Website
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Edmund Cartwright

For Students 9th - 10th
Edmund Cartwright is featured in this brief biography for automating the textile industry with a power loom.
+
Website
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Philo Farnsworth

For Students 9th - 10th
Crack open a present day television today and it may not be as apparent, but every television designer is aware of the name Philo Farnsworth. Find out about the man behind the first all electric television among the 299 other patents...
+
Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Inventor of the Week: Charles Kettering

For Students 9th - 10th
This famous Ohioan had many great accomplishments including founding DELCO, the company who "brought the automobile into the Age of Electricity."
+
Website
Other

Edision Birthplace Museum: Birthplace of Edison

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical look at Thomas Edison from the museum of his birthplace. Provides information on his life and his inventions. Also gives a tour of Edison's birthplace.
+
Handout
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: Invention of the Week: George Eastman

For Students 9th - 10th
A biography of George Eastman, who revolutionized photography with his innovations in film and photograph development. From the MIT School of Engineering.
+
Article
New York Times

New York Times: 32 Innovations That Will Change Your Tomorrow

For Students 1st - 9th
If you don't know that the incandescent light was a failure before it was a success, it's easy to write off some modern energy innovations like solar panels because they haven't hit the big time fast enough. Worse, the fairy-tale view of...
+
Website
Other

Who Is the Inventor of Television?

For Students 9th - 10th
Evidently, this is not an easy question to answer! The television seems to be the international product of a series of discoveries and inventions. Here is an interesting summary of inventors and events leading up to the actual television...
+
Article
Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Meet George Zaidan

For Students 9th - 10th
Meet George Zaidan, science media jack-of-all-trades and rock climber!
+
Handout
Science Struck

Science Struck: When Was Electricity Discovered?: The Timeline

For Students 4th - 6th
Learn about the history of electricity and the scientists involved in investigating it and inventing machines related to it.
+
Lesson Plan
University of Illinois

University of Illinois Extension: Character Education "I Would Invent"

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Excellent resource for empowering students to become better learners. This lesson includes encouraging students to develop an interest in science, to promote critical thinking skills, and to enhance reading and writing skills.
+
Primary
Rutgers University

Thomas Edison Papers: Latimer's Patents

For Students 9th - 10th
Find a list of patents issued to African-American inventor, Lewis Latimer, to him individually or with another inventor. Clicking on the invention takes you a diagram of the invention as well as its description submitted to the U.S....
+
Handout
Science Museum, London

Science Museum Online Stuff: Garrett Morgan

For Students 9th - 10th
An excellent article about inventor Garrett Morgan including information about his two life-saving inventions: the Safety Hood, an early gas mask, and the traffic light.

Other popular searches